Bill bans fundraising by school administrators

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A bill moving through the Legislature seeks to prevent elected school board members and community college trustees from using the administrators they oversee to raise money for their political campaigns.

AB1431 passed the Assembly Wednesday on a 56-11 vote.

Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego introduced the bill after an investigation by U-T San Diego exposed the practice. It found two superintendents and a college administrator in her district solicited campaign donations from school contractors.

Gonzalez's bill would make that conduct illegal by prohibiting administrators from accepting or soliciting campaign cash for their elected employers. Federal law places similar restrictions on employees of the federal government.

The bill heads to the Senate, where it needs support from two-thirds of lawmakers to advance.